Azusa

AZUSA - Three spike strips and two PIT maneuvers later, an accused DUI driver was taken into custody after kindly pulling into an In N Out parking lot Sunday.

Upland Police attempted to stop the driver, 45-year-old Michelle Starkey, for a registration violation near Foothill Boulevard and Central Avenue around 10:26 a.m., according to Sgt. Bill Chani of the Upland Police Department.

Starkey refused to stop and casually drove west on Route 66 all the way into Azusa, Chani said. She obeyed the speed limit, stop signs and red lights.

Patron Janette Brown-Ortega was eating on the patio at Mr. D’s, 919 Foothill Blvd., in La Verne and witnessed the pursuit.

“We heard several sirens before the car stopped in the intersection with multiple officers from Pomona, Claremont, and La Verne trailing. Officers exited their vehicles and drew their weapons in an attempt to have the suspect come out of the car," Brown-Ortega said. “They stopped for about two minutes, before driver sped away again.”

Officers used several spike strips as Starkey drove through Glendora, Chani said.

Starkey even dragged a spike strip behind the Dodge Nitro she drove as she continued west at a snails-pace 10 miles per hour, according to police radio traffic.

After officers made two attempts at disabling the vehicle with the Pursuit Intervention Technique in Azusa, Starkey allegedly struck an Upland officer’s vehicle, Chani said.

The officer was uninjured after his patrol car was hit.

Starkey parked the Dodge Nitro at In N Out, 988 E. Alosta Ave she will be facing charges of assault on a peace officer, assault with a deadly weapon, drug possession, driving under the influence of drugs and evading police, Chani said.